Four JC Penney department stores in Washington state are the first retail buildings in the nation to earn the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star label for superior energy efficiency and environmental performance.

Compared to similar locations nationwide, the four stores collectively spend nearly $250,000 less on energy annually. Furthermore, they avoid producing more than 3 million pounds of carbon dioxide a year, which is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from electricity use in nearly 200 homes.

The stores are located in Bellevue, Burlington, Puyallup and Vancouver. In total, these four sites boast nearly 460,000 square feet and, on average, consume about 35 percent less energy than typical department stores nationwide. EC

© Information Inc.